San Fernando Valley ban on light rail lifted

California Gov. Jerry Brown has signed legislation, which will allow the installation of light-rail transit along the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) Orange Line. The bill, authored by Assembly Member Adrin Nazarian, provides the flexibility needed to address the growing demands of public transportation in the Greater San Fernando Valley.

"By repealing the ban of light-rail installation along the Orange Line, AB 577 allows the Valley to take the first step toward a 21st Century transit system, which will lead to greater connectivity to the red line and other transportation lines, throughout Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley," Nazarian noted.

This bill allows LACMTA to address the growing public transportation needs of local governments, alleviate congestion and take advantage of available transportation resources.

Although this ban being lifted is a step in the right direction, LACMTA says the Orange Line still has much work ahead. The LACMTA Board of Directors has not asked for a study of a conversion and currently, it is not in LACMTA's long-range plan that was adopted by the board in 2010.